Mail chutes of the exposed type



J. H. HARDIE MAIL CHUTES OF THE EXPOSED TYPE March 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1954 March 4, 1958 J. HARDIE ,825,438

MAIL CHUTES OF THE EXPOSED TYPE Filed April 5, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I rftd'aw March 4, 1958 J. H. HARDIE MAIL YC'HUTES OF THE EXPOSED TYPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed A rii 5, 954- afarake United Sttes Patent.

MAIL CHUTES F THE EXPQSED TYPE James H. Hardie, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor to The Canadian Cutler Mail Chute ompany Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application April 5, 1954, Serial No. 421495 Claims. ,(Cl.193.,8)

This invention relates to improvements in mail chute assemblies for conveying letters from the top and intermediate floors of a building to a mail box located at the bottom or ground floor, and particularly to the exposed type of chute which projects forwardly from a wall surface.

Mail chutes are usually built in sections of one to a floor of a building, which, when interconnected, one to another, combineto form a unit assembly providing a continuous conveying channel from the top to the bottom floor of a building. Heretofore, it has been the practice to prefabricate each floor section as a plurality of sub sections, including upper and lower chute channel members, a ceiling connection chute and a floor connection chute, which had to be assembled on the job, requiring considerable time and skill to adjust and lit these subsections together into a floor section. Then too, the interconnecting of these sub-sections necessitated the provision of a plurality of expensive connection units required to reinforce the sub-sections at their joints and to give protection against tampering with the chute. As an example, a section having the number of sub-sections outlined above, requires a specially constructed ceiling collar, a neck moulding about the juncture of the ceiling connection chute and the upper channel member, an intermediate supporting frame about the juncture of the upper and lower channel members and separately formed base and sub-base units between the lower channel member and the adjacent floor level. All of these units, being disposed about the chute in an exposed condition, must be processed to provide an attractive appearance. This calls for additional expense both in materials and labour to produce these units as a finished product.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a mail chute assembly which comprises a plurality of unit sections of novel construction which eliminates the separate prefabrication of a substantial number of sub-sections and complementary connection units and their assembly as floor sections of an assembly unit.

A particular feature of this invention consists in the provision of fioor section units each comprising a single,

full-length chute channel member extending between a ceiling and a floor therebelow and a floor connection vchute for direct interconnection of the channel member with an adjacent floor section channel member.

A further object is to provide a full-length channel .member having a novel side-wall construction comprising a dou ble-walled forward extension and shoulderarrangemer t for the retention therebetween of front closure members along the length of the channel member.

Another object is to provide a novel front closure arrangement for the open face of a fulldength channel ,rnember in which certain of the closure members are removably interfitted between the sides of the channel =member-in a novel manner which prevents their removal .by tuuauthorized persons.

Still another object is to provide a front closure 2,825,438 Patented Mar. 4, 1958 ice 2 rangement of the character described with novel interlocking elements.

A still further object is to provide a novel hanger for the support of a floor connection chute in the chute assembly.

Certain other features of my invention afford advantages over the conventional chute assembly not hitherto contemplated. For example, the provision of a fixed cover above the removable'front closures between the side walls of the chute channel afiords an inexpensive continuity to the front closure. A slide plate is also mounted rearwardly of this cover in an inexpensive but effective manner to provide a suitable battle which directs descending mail toward the centre of the chute passageway. This bafile feature -is also to be found in the novel arrangement of the fixed front closure located beneath the removable closure panels.

The above and other objects and features characteristic of this invention will :be understood more readily from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which-- Fig. l is a front elevational view of a chute assembly embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a'sectional view, enlarged, of the lower portion of the assembly taken along the section lines 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2A is a sectional view of the upper portion of the assembly taken along the lines 2a-2a of Fig. l, and being, in effect, a continuation of Fig. 2 at points A-A.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1 M i Fig, 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken lines 4-4 of Fig. l. i i

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken lines f55 of Fig. l. V

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the lines '7-7 of Fig. 6 V V Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9? of Fig. 2A.

Fig. 1 0 is a sectional view taken along the lines -10 1ii along the along the of Fig 1.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the mail pocket shown at lti itlin Fig. 1, parts being broken away to show certain details.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken along the linesiZ-IiZ or s- Fig. l3 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of a floor connectionmember shown in Figs. 2 and 2A.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the floor connection member shown in Fig. l3. l

Fig. l5 is a sectional yiew taken along the lines i515 ofFig.1. V

Fig. 16 is a detail view ,of a fragment of the lower tapered end of the channel member shown in Figs. 2 n .ZA-

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 generally designates a mail chute assembly which isisecur'ed along the length .of a pair .of spaced, parallel, vertically disposed angle beams 6. Beams ,6 each have one flange 7 partially embedded in a wail or partition structure 4 so that sections of theremaining flange 8 between each floor level and the ceiling thereabove, are inwardly directed and are parallel to thefinished wall surface. The chute assembly includes a sheet metal chute channel member 9 extending intermediate each iioorievel 10 and aceiling level 11 thereabove, a rectangular thimble 12 extending through each floor structure, anda floor connection 1 1 mber 14 extending through thimble '12 to cooperate with adjacent en'ds oftwo successive channel members 9 in 'forming a continuous passageway for mail delivery to I a suitable receptacle at the base of the assembly.-

Channel member 9 is formed from sheet-metalwhich is shaped to provide an'innerwall lbetween two for wardly extending sidewalls 16. l Forward marginal por- 'tions' iofjsaid .side i walls 16 are bent inwardly -upon 1 themselves to provide double-walled, front marginal projections 17 and then 'at right angles a short distancefrom i V "the front edge to provide inwardly projecting shoulders 18.

Shoulders 1 8 form seats I for the rearward support of upper and lower removable front closure members 20 and 21 when they are confined between the marginal pro- '7 width the upper end of a four-sided,elongated;tapering 2,825,438" i a a a floor connection member 14 "which projects through thimble 12 and into the upper end of a second channel member ,9 located between the fioorand ceiling of a lower 1 r level. Floor connection 14 has its rear wall 45felonI- g ated at the upper end to provide an extension member 46,the upper marginal portionof which is bent outwardly and downwardly to overlie a "transverse stiifening plate' 4-7. The floor connection 14' is hung frorrllthe cros's-plate Q '27 carried by beams 6'by means of bolts 48Iwhich extend through openings inmember 46' and :plate"4 7j, the

latter being disposed between the opposingtedges of'the flanges 3 of said beams. V V V V a 1 l The lower end of channel member 9 andtliefioorcom nection 14 above'the floor level are'en'closed by abase V 5 9 which is formed froma single sheet or slab of material to provide vertical front and side walls; 'Base 50 surrounds the'front and sides and is secured in place'by A transverse spacer-bar 24 extends between the marginal I edges of flanges '8 and intermediate the inner wall. 15 3 i and cross-plate 22 so that bolts 25, extending through 7 wall '15, spacer bar 24 andcross-plat'e 22; secure'the channel member 9 with'the outerlsurface of wall '15 in abutting engagement with the opposing surfaces of flanges 8. V V V l a o e The lower end of chute channel member, 9Vtermina'tes i a substantial distance above the floor level :10 and is secured in a similar manner by bolts 2 6 to asecond cross-plate, 27 which is fastened to the rear of flan es 8.

'Bolts 26. extending through wall 15, a spacer bar 29 and V with the opposing surfaces of flanges 8. a a

The open facepof' channel member 9 is provided at its' upperlend with a cover plate '30 having rearwardly directed side flanges 31 disposed to lie between the for- 7 s crosslate 27, likewise secure the channelfrnember '9 1 with the outer. surface of wall 15 in abuttingengagement ward marginal projections 17. A slide plate 32 having forwardly directed side 'fianges 33 is l located inlwardly of cover plate 30 with its: side flanges 33 wedged betweenthe double walls of'lthe forward marginal pro-' 'jections 17 of channel member'9. The side flanges '33 a V of slide plate 32 flare fromrtop to bottom so as to provide Plate 32ihas its upper marginal portion bent to provide a flange 34 which is hooked over the the plate portion 32 with a downwardly andlinwar'dly V inclination;

upper edges of shoulders 18.' Bolts 35, extending throu h a forward marginal portions 17 of the channel member side walls, secure the upper endsof the cover plate 30' and slide plate 32. The lower end of cover plate 30 has a 7 pair of angle plates secured to the inner surface thereof 7 sothat the free end ofthe plates may be bent outwardly and aroundlthe adiacent should 18 to provide a' retain unner and lower channel-shaped platernembers V37-"and' 38 secured in nested. relation, is Jfitted about the front. and sides'of the u per portion of chute member 9 so that the up er"channel-sha'oediplate 37 reachesjthe ceiling t V level ll to ClOSCI the gap between the'upoer end of chute "member 9.- The lower channel-sha ed plate overlies and is'secur'edto cover late 30 by bolts 39. j

The'lower portions 'of 'the inner and .side'swalls' l5 and 16 0f channel member 9 have inwardly tapered hexl tensions l15af and 16arespecti vely; the lower endsof which terminate a substantial distance above the floor level. The double-walled projections 17 and shoulders R18 terminate at the point where the side wallsf15 begin lto taper,- thus providing the sidewall extensions 1 611 with marginal portions llof single ply below the doublewalled portions 17. A guide plate 41 having forwardly l directed flanges; 42 is'secured across the front of the V 7 lower tapered extension by mean's'of the flanges .42 which are welded to marginal portions 40 of sidewall exten 'sions 16a so as to" provide adownwardrand ,inwardinclination to' plate 4 1;

'7 {Thetapering extension of channel member 5 spot welding upper marginal portions-of it's sidewalls-to portions'ot the channel member sidewalls 16 adjacent V the tapering extensions 16a. 1 V V j 1 V V 'The'uppe'r front closure member 20, which comprises-j 7 a plate glasspanel in, a frame including the'hollow sheet metal side'mouldings56 and top andbottom connecting rails 57' and 58, is fitted betweentheforward marginal rojections 17 of.chute member'-9 to bearag-ainst; the seat forming shoulders '18. The top rail 57 is angle -I shaped, having one :fiange disposed to lie across the a outer faceof panel 55 and the other :flange projecting L forwardly from the lower edge of said first flange QThe 1 upper marginal portion of closure 'mernber20 isjnsertedj v between thelower ends of co'ver'plate 30 and slide plate} '32' so that the forwardly projecting flange :of1top rail a 57 underlies the lower edge of coverl late'l alli'l" Bottom rail '58 of; upper closurelmelnber zona ly; ported on i a locking band bracket 60 which is secured, between the marginal liprojections rr y screws 61 ata point which prevents removal of memberfzouwhenaa locking band 62 is e'rnplaced about the bracket 60..

forwardly ,of rear wall 63. The se side: walls have in v wardly directed thickened portions 66' from which;

67 project forwardly of :the front face ofis'aid sidewalls.

Bracket 60 is secured between the marginal projections 175with the 'seat formin'g shoulders llfi extending into i iyertical slots 68 in the ends Of'Ififllf wall; 63 oethat the 1 side walls atford support to the uppericlosure member 20 by direct contactiwith adjacent endsiof bottom -rail 58 7,

Inwardly directed locking tongues 69are providedon the ing clip '36 for the lower end of said cover plate; A i from face of rear Wan 63 at the central pom-9n thereof channel sha ed collar, comprising partially telescoped to be engaged by a suitablelocking jrn echanism which projects lre'arwardly from the locking band;62. c

The lower closure member metal side mouldings l7l'andjtop andJbottom connecting V rails 72 and 73, is fitted; between the forwardma'rginal V i projections 17 of channelgmernber '9 to bear against shoulders 18. The bottom connecting rail 73 extends base front wall-at the upper'end thereof, Clips 76 also 4 serve to. hold the lower end of'the closure" member 21 against shoulders 18 to ensure that; thel'rear facefof the "closuremember will be rearwafdly .otfset with respect to' the upper edge of inclined guide plate 41" The top connecting rail'72 is provid d fwrth leg j which project into theupper ends ofhollow side'nroulds Bracket 60- has a rear wall 63, the front face of l V l is vertically disposed and the reariface of which iis down' wardly and outwardly inclined. 'Side,wallsg 65 project V 21; which omplie plate glass panel .70 in aiframe'including hoHQW Sheet.

lugs 71 and are secured to e side mouldings by screws 78. The lower portion of locking band 62 is secured to the front face of top rail 72 by screws .79 so that, when the lower closure member 21 has its upper end seated against shoulder 18, the upper portion of locking band 62 overlaps locking band bracket 60. The inner face of locking band 62 is provided at each end with pin receiving holes 80 adapted to receive the pins 67 carried by bracket 60. The interfitting of pins .67 in holes 80 ensures a proper centering of the locking band 62 so that a suitable locking mechanism carried by band .62, will *eleasably engage the locking tongues 69 on the front face of the locking band bracket ,60 to thereby secure both the upper and lower front closure members 28 and 21 agianst unauthorized removal.

The lower closure member 21 is also provided with a mail pocket '85. Pocket 85 comprises a front wall 86 and side, top and bottom walls 87, 88 and 89 extending rearwardly from said front wall. The .side walls 87 are each provided with -a laterally extending ,marginal flange 90 each having top and bottom bracket extensions 91. Top wall 88 is provided with an elongated, letterreceiving opening 92. And bottom wall ,89 has a depending marginal flange 93. In order to insert the pocket in the lower closure, the glass panel 70 is divided into vertically spaced upper and lower sections. The pocket 85 is disposed between the vertically spaced .sections of panel 70 with the lateral flange 90 and bracket extensions 91 received in the hollow moulding strips 71 and resting on the upper edge of the glass panel lower section so that the depending flange 93 of bottom 'wall 89 overlaps the front face of said lower section of the glass panel. Bracket extensions 91 are secured to the moulding strips 71 by screws, as indicated at 94. The rear face of top wall 88 and side walls 87 are recessed, as indicated at 95, to receive a transverse plate 96 having its upper marginal portion bent forwardly and then upwardly, as indicated at 97, to provide a supporting rail for the lower edge of the upper section of glass panel 70. Screws 98 secure the plate 96 to the rear face of the mail pocket.

A pair of closure plates 100 and 101 are pivotally mounted to swing about a common axis 102 adjacent the upper end of the mail pocket 85. Plate 100 serves to close off the opening 92 in the pocket top wall and plate 101 serves to close the passageway defined by the chute channel member 9. It will be seen that the lower end of plate 101 overlaps the rear marginal portions of the pocket wall 89 and the upper edge of the glass panel lower section to provide a bafile for directing descending mail into the chute passageway. secured in its open position by any fastening means, for example, by a screw 103 which engages a boss 104 on the inner surface of the mail pocket front wall 86.

The chute assembly as above described provides a compact and greatly simplified arrangement of elements as compared with the conventional types of chutes. Previously a mail chute assembly comprised separate component elements including separately formed upper and lower chute channel members between the ceiling and floor below, a separately formed ceiling connection chute between the ceiling and the upper channel member, a thimble between floors, and a floor connection member between the ceiling connection chute and a lower channel member located thereabove. In addition, this called for a special ceiling collar unit adapted to enclose the lower projection of the thimble and the upper end of the ceiling connection chute, a neck moulding about the connecting portions of the ceiling connection chute and the upper channel section, an intermediate supporting frame for the upper and lower channel member connection, and a base and sub-base frame mounted one upon the other to encompass those portions of the thimble and floor connection member extending above the floor, as well as the interfitting portions of the lower channel member and the floor connection.

Plate 101 may be The present invention eliminates separate upper and lower channel members and a ceiling connection chute by the provision of a single full-length channel member so that a superimposed floor connection member has its lower end projecting into the upper end of the .channel member. This arrangement also eliminates the necessity of the type of ceiling collar used and of a neck moulding and an intermediate supporting frame about the channel member. The formed sheet metal base enclosure, according to the present invention, .also greatly simplifies thev baselconstruction as well as reducing the .cost, :both in material and labour, of enclosing the base portion .of -a chute assembly adjacent each floor level as compared with the conventional base unit and the sub-base unit mounted thereon, each requiring separate installation to complete the assembly.

The chute .channel member -9, in addition to being a one-piece unit, presents certain other novel features. The novel formation of the double-walled forward projections 17 and the shoulders 18 from marginal portions of the channel side walls affords a reinforced =side enclosure for the front closure members '20 :and 2.1 as well as a seating for same. The upward extension of the .channel member provides a means for supporting a cover and slide plate assembly which is arranged between the forward portion of the channel member in a novel manner substantially as an extension of the upper closure member 20.

Although .I have described and illustrated what are now believed to be the preferred embodiments .of this invention, it will be appreciated that modifications and changes may be resorted .to without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined in the appended-claims.

What I claim is: i

l. A mail chute assembly comprising a plurality of floor chute sections arranged in connected superimposed relation, each section including a single, sheet metal chute channel member projecting from a Wall surface and extending substantially the full length between a ceiling and a floor below, said chute channel member including a rear wall and side walls extending forwardly from said rear wall, a plurality of front closure members supported along the length of the open face of said single chute channel member between forward portions of its side walls and a floor connection member projecting through a flooring and having one end fitted about the lower end of said single channel member and the other end projecting into the upper end of a second floor section channel member therebelow to provide an uninterrupted chute passage throughout the length of said chute assembly, one of said front closure members comprising a lower closure plate extending across the open face of said channel member adjacent the lower end thereof and below the remaining front closure members, said lower closure plate being provided with side flanges located adjacent the upper end of said plate, said side flanges being directed forwardly of the closure plate and being secured to the inner surface of the channel side Wall so as to provide said lower plate with a downward and inward inclination.

2. A mail chute assembly comprising a plurality of floor chute sections arranged in connected superimposed relation, each floor section including a single, sheet metal chute channel member projecting from a wall surface and extending substantially the full length between a ceiling and a floor below, said chute channel member including a rear Wall and side walls extending forwardly from said rear wall, a plurality of front closure members supported along the length of the open face of said chute channel member between forward portions of its side walls, a floor connection member projecting through a flooring and having one end fitted about the lower end of said chute channel member and the other end projecting into the upper end of a second fioor section channel member therebelow to provide an uninterrupted chute passage throughout the lengthof said chute assembly, and

laterally spaced vertical angle beams eachhaving 'one 7 7 flange rearwardly'directed and embedded in said wall 7 and the other flange inwardly; directed with its front 'face spaced outwardly from' 'and'substantially parallel to the plane of the finished wall surface, a pluralityof cross- 7 plates spaced at vertical intervals between said angle beams and secured to the rear face of said secondmen-V tloned angle beam flanges, and means securing said single channel member to atileast one of said cross-plates so i that marginal portions throughout the length of the rear 7 wall of said single channel member flatly engage the front facesof said second mentioned angle beam flanges.

3. A mail chute assembly as setforth in clairn"2.

including spacer bars extending between the marginal edges of saidtsecondiflangesr of the "angle beams, said spac'er bars being also disposed between said cross-plates and the rear wall of said channel member and, being of a thickness equal to lthe thickne ss of said second flanges of V the anglebeams to provide a continuous support'across the width of said channel rear wall in the region of said spacer bars. M p t 4. In a mail chute assembly, including vertical angle 7 beams having one flange embedded in a wall structure 7 and the other flange spaced::outwardly from'and par allel to said: wall surface,- a single sheet metal chute 1 channel member vertically "arranged to extend tsubstant-l tially the full length of the wall intermediate a ceiling and a floor therebelow, said channel "presenting a'rear wall and side walls extendingfforwardly of said rear wall,

7 of said bracket memberbetween the double-walled, mar- 1 meansfor securing said channelimember' to'said' angle V beams so'thati'substantially the full length of the rear wall of said channel' member flatly engages the' front 'faces of said'othert flanges of the angle beams,'said chanr a r 8 nel sidewalls having forward marginal portions folded inwardly upon the side-wallsf to provide double-walled,

forward marginal projectionsahd thenat'right-angle's'to the sidewalls to'provide inwardly pr'ojecting shoulders alongthe length of said channel member, upper and lower front closure panels receivable in the open face of said channel member between said double-walled prok jections and in pressure contact with said shoulders, at

bracket member secured between the forward marginal projections of the sides of said channel member for ve'r V tical support of said upper front closure panel, ,said bracket presenting a transverse rear wall provided with slots in opposite ends into which said channel ,sidej wall shoulders are received and having locking, tongues on the front face thereof and side walls projecting for? wardly from opposide ends of thektransverse rear :wall

ginal projections of the channel member'sideiwalls, and

References Cited-in the ,file of this patent Q STATES PATENTS 7 881,180 Cutler Mar. 10,1908

1 962,489 Anderson June 28, 1910 

